Building a complex, scalable eCommerce interface is difficult but necessary, given that 2.14 billion people will shop online in 2021 and there are many eCommerce platforms available. How do you outshine your peers and attract customers to your website?
You will need to make your online store a seamless and interactive experience for customers, which is no small feat.
There is a lot going on behind the scenes of an eCommerce platform. It is a very complex system juggling payment gateways, suppliers, logistics, shipping, etc. Sometimes, all of this can hinder front-end performance and present a white loading screen to customers.
A good way to rectify the situation is to use Node.js. Below, I will tell you precisely what Node.js, why it’s the right choice for building your online store in 2021, as well as some of its faults so you can get the full picture.
What is Node.js?
Node.js is a cross-platform, open-source runtime environment written in 2009, which allows you to write server-side applications in JavaScript.
The “js” in Node.js stands for JavaScript. It is one of the most popular programming languages used for front-end development because it lets you build interactive web pages. Bringing JavaScript to the server-side has been revolutionary for web development, especially eCommerce sites.
Although it was written more than ten years ago, Node.js only recently became popular. Some of the biggest companies that use it include Airbnb, LinkedIn, Netflix, PayPal, Walmart, and Uber, to name a few.
Developed on chrome V8, Node.js is known for being fast and scalable as well as having an opulent source of JavaScript library modules. It is supported on both macOS and Microsoft Windows, so if you have one of those operating systems, you’re good to go.
Why Node.js is Good for eCommerce
1. A Single Programming Language
Node.js uses the same language on both the front and back end. This allows your team to be more efficient, saves you money, and makes everything less complicated. No need to hire separate developers for the backend and frontend!
2. Fast and Scalable
Node.js has a unique I/O model, which allows it to excel at handling numerous, complex requests simultaneously. It completely outshines its peers, such as Python, in this regard.
Node.js’ ability to be fast and scalable is probably its most significant selling feature.
According to a Google study, website performance directly impacts a company’s bottom - slow sites can do a lot of damage to your conversion rate. In fact, a 1-second delay in page response can result in a 10% reduction in conversions.
In a world where patience is thin, every second count, and cutting loading time down is a business imperative.
3. Easy to Learn
Almost all front-end developers are familiar with Javascript. Therefore, switching to using Node.js in the back-end would not be a headache. The learning curve would be small or non-existent, even for a junior Javascript programmer.
4. Supportive Community
Node.js is the most popular framework and has a large and active community keen on continually improving it. You can find solutions to your problems on GitHub or ask community members who can offer support.
GitHub is “the largest and most advanced development platform in the world.” There are free plugins available here, which is fantastic because they can help you expedite the development process without spending money.
5. Unopinionated and Highly Customizable
Whether you are building a Node.js web extraction tool or a property listing website, the software offers you incredible flexibility. Node.js gives you a lot of space and freedom to build your way. Developers, for the most part, prefer this. You essentially start from scratch, and there are no restrictions, rules, or guidelines.
You can also customize modules in any way you like, which really gets the creative juices flowing!
Some developers believe that because you are writing code from scratch, it means more development time, slowing your work down.
6. Open-Source
Node.js is an open-source platform. This is great because the code is publicly accessible, so experienced and talented developers from around the world can collaborate with you to help you reach your goals.
Whereas with proprietary code, there are restrictions in place regarding its use, so it’s hard to coordinate with other people. Often, they have to sign into something.
At the same time, the fact that it is open-source with such a large community and library might create a lack of high coding standards. Therefore, make sure you pick the right tech partner, developer, plugins, and modules.
7. Real-Time Communication With Customers
When you’re building an online store, an essential feature is real-time interaction with customers. This means customers are able to use a chat box to talk to customer service agents instantly if they are experiencing trouble.
8. Security
Security is of utmost importance on eCommerce platforms where individuals are entering their credit card or banking information. With Node.js, the security factor isn’t even a question - Node.js is one of the fastest and most secure JavaScript frameworks. This is perhaps the biggest reason why PayPal uses Node.js.
Keep in mind, the core of Node.js is secure, but if you utilize third-party plugins or modules, you may need to invest in additional security measures. This is expected with any open-source platform and is not unique to Node.js.
9. Error Handling
Node.js offers a lot of transparency when it comes to detecting errors. In other words, if there is an error in your programming, you will know what and where it is. This will reduce the amount of problem-solving time and allow you to present a bug-free shopping platform.
10. Uniformity in Data Streaming
Last but not least, processing files with Node.js is a breeze because everything moves through a single data stream. This limits bounce rates, which of course, makes customers very happy!
Conclusion
Node.js expertly handles the chaos in the back end, so the front end looks good and is trusted by the largest companies in the world. The bottom line is, if you want your eCommerce site to have a smooth shopping to the payment process, then you need Node.js. It is essential in today’s competitive online shopping climate.
